Disclaimer: I don't own Cowboy Bebop just this story and that asshole Reic.

Blues in the Night

By roxyravette

Chapter 8

Finders Keepers

"What?!" Faye screamed at the screen. "What do you mean that my zip craft was towed?" A young man in his early twenties flinched but answered her in a shaky voice.

"I'm sorry Ms. Valentine, but you failed to pay the docking fees." Faye raised an eyebrow.

"I did pay!" She yelled. "You guys nearly bugged to death about it."

"Well Ms. Valentine," the man said nervously. "Our records showed that you were late in doing so and we had to follow company policy." Faye closed her eyes and sighed, barely containing the urge to throw the vid phone out the window.

"Fine." She said at last. "Can you at least tell me where you towed it to so I can get it back?" The young man gave her the address of an old warehouse and she hung up the phone.

"People these days…" she thought. Faye reached for her jacket and as an afterthought, grabbed her gun on the nearby table. There was no telling what she would run into. She checked the clock; it was 5:00. Spike wouldn't be back for another hour. He was going to be pissed if she wasn't here to open the door.

"Oh well, he can deal with it." She scribbled a quick note to him and stuck it in the door. Without so much as a back glance, Faye left the apartment.

***

A phone rang in the dark shadows of the building. Reic picked it up on the second ring. His deep voice flowed into the phone.

"Yes?" A masculine voice answered him.

"There's been a small change in plans. That man Ms. Valentine was with was Spike Spiegel."

"What?" Reic asked. "Isn't he supposed to be dead?"

"Yes but now it's your job to kill him again." Reic was silent. "Don't tell me you're not up to the job."

"It's done." Reic hung up the phone. He heard a door slam somewhere in the old warehouse. He checked his watch. It was 6:00. Reic smiled and readied his sub machine gun.

"You're just in time Ms. Valentine."

***

The ancient warehouse looked so gloomy and foreboding that she hesitated going in. Almost. She wanted her craft back now. She pushed the door open and it gave freely. The place was poorly lighted. The dim lights allowed her to see the floor littered with well junk. Scrap metal and old parts were piled high on massive hills. She hoped desperately that her Red Tail wasn't scraped.

"Hello?" she called out, disturbing the silence. "Is anybody here?" Faye waited but there was no answer. Something moved in the corner of her eye. Faye jumped and drew her gun on the shadow. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up and a cold shiver ran down her back.

"Show yourself!" Suddenly a shadow from behind her moved and before she had time to turn, the gun was out of her hand. It skittered on the floor a few feet away from her. She tried to go for it but she fell short a few feet when strong arms held her back. The feel of the arms around her waist caused her to fight and she struggled until the grip loosened enough for her to slip out. She felt around for the Glock and touched its cool barrel. She turned on the shadow and fired a wild spray of bullets. She stopped shooting and started retreating slowly, eyes wary of the dark corners. She kept backing away until she bumped into something. She turned to see what and nearly dropped her gun. Reic smiled at her and showed her his sub machine gun.

"Hello Faye." He said with his suave voice. He blended in perfectly with his surroundings. "So nice to see you." Faye frowned.

"The pleasure was all mine." With the last word she kicked him in the knees. Reic went down and Faye executed a perfect leg swipe, but as Reic went down, he pulled her down with him. Faye fired but the shot went wild. After much struggling, Faye had not wriggled free, and then all was still. Faye lay beneath Reic with her gun aimed at his heart. Reic spoke first.

"I believe you won't do it." He said steadily, but there was fear in his gray eyes. Faye grinned and shoved the gun roughly into his chest.

"Believe this asshole!" Faye smiled evilly. "I'll pull this trigger and you can kiss your heart good-bye." Reic's face changed and he returned the smile.

"The kitten has teeth." He purred. Faye froze at the use of his pet name for her but quickly recovered. Her surprise quickly turning into anger.

"I'll kill you, do you understand, I'll kill you." Reic laughed.

"You'll try."

"Fun and games aren't worth dying for, Reic." She said carefully.

"After a certain point, that's all that is worth dying for."

"Fine." Faye fired and…the Glock clicked empty. Faye stared at Reic, the horror plain on her face. Reic laughed. Faye felt the beginnings of tears but held them back. Reic stopped laughing but the laughter was barely held in check.

"Didn't you ever learn that always reload when you no longer see your enemy?" This started another wave of laughter at Faye's expense. It subsided and Faye refused to look at him, which was hard since she was still beneath him. He took the Glock away from her; gently prying her fingers lose of her gun. He let her up but kept her in his grip. She looked at the ground. Reic lifted her chin and gazed into her emerald eyes. He kissed her lightly.

"You would miss me if I were gone. Admit it." He whispered against her lips. She had to find a way out of this. Faye pulled her face away and wiped her lips with the back of her hand. Reic smirked and leaned in to kiss her again but Faye moved out of the way.

"Hasn't anyone told you anticipation adds to the experience?"'

"If anticipation adds, then it will be wondrous indeed." With that, Reic knocked her out with the butt of her gun and carried her to the office room.

(A/N: No not that you sick sick people. Continue…)

***

Spike reread the note and almost threw on the ground.

Spike,

It's about 5:00 and I found out where my ship is. I had to get it right away. Sit tight. I'll be back around 6:30 at the latest.

Faye

Spike reached on top of the door to find the spare key. He let himself in. The apartment was quiet. He looked at the clock. It was going on 7:30. Even though he had stayed late today, he'd got there before her. Where was she? It'd been an hour since she'd said she'd be back. What was going on? Spike felt icy fingers clutch his heart. What if Reic got to her? He had no way of knowing where she was. A thought struck him. He got the vid phone and dialed the last number Faye had dialed. The young clerk's image came in clear.

"Hey I need some information on a ship registered under a Faye Valentine." The clerk looked surprised.

"You are the fourth person to call asking for that ship."

"What?" Spike asked. "Never mind, but can you give me the address of the place they're keeping it."

"I really shouldn't." the clerk said nervously. "Are you a bounty hunter or something?"

"Might as well." Spike thought. "Yeah, I am." The clerk sighed and gave him the address. Spike hung up and grabbed Faye's other gun and his jacket. He was out the door in seconds.

"Women are nothing but trouble."

***

Faye drifted in and out of consciousness. She couldn't remember what had happened to her. Everything was so fuzzy. She tried to call for help but a gag prevented her. She reached up to touch her forehead but found that she couldn't. Her hands were tied to the back of the chair. She tried to move but her feet were bonded tightly as well. She struggled against the bonds when a man came through the door talking on a phone. His gray eyes glanced at her and her memory came back in one fell swoop. Faye glared at Reic's back as if to burn a hole through him. He hung up the phone and turned to Faye. She continued to look daggers at him and muffled something through the gag. Reic grinned and pulled out a knife. He cut off the gag.

"What was that?" he asked. Faye continued to glare at him as she spoke.

"You are so fucking dead." Reic tsked at her shaking the knife in her face.

"Such language from a lady." He said mockingly. "Looks like Mr. Spiegel is late. A shame. I was looking forward to gutting him right in front of you."

"You're crazy." She spat. Reic twirled the knife with one hand.

"I am many things but crazy is not one of them."

"Could have fooled me." Reic frowned.

"Maybe I should have left you gagged." He said coldly. "That way, no one could hear you scream." Reic slid the flat part of the blade down her cheek.

"What are you going to do with that?" Faye whispered with an edge of fear. Reic pulled back.

"With this? Nothing." Reic's voice dropped a bit and his eyes held something dangerous. "But I have something else long and hard, but not as cold in mind."

"Rape." Faye's jaw dropped and she quickly closed it to prevent his kiss, unsuccessfully. Faye bit his probing tongue and Reic pulled away in pain. He didn't notice the knife was in his hand until he heard Faye gasp. He'd cut her by accident. It made a long angry line on her beautiful face. She was trembling and looking down at the ground. Reic eyes softened and he tried to speak.

"Faye, I didn't mean…" he trailed off as he noticed two tears drop onto her lap. Reic threw down the knife and walked out the office, leaving Faye alone. Even more tears fell. She wasn't crying because he'd cut her though. It was in that moment that she realized that there would be a good chance she wouldn't see another evening or Spike ever again.

To be continued…